Selection – Automobile

As partners of automobile manufacturers, events or racing teams, watch brands outdo each other in seeking imaginative ways of bringing to the wrist the spirit of major competitions and the style of legendary cars.

Graham Silverstone RS GMT : CHF 9,200.–

Equipped with a 24-hour dual-time display appearing on the graduated ceramic bezel, this limited series is also the official watch of the highly regarded and typically Swiss Gurnigel hill-climb road race !

Baume & Mercier Clifton Club Shelby Cobra : CHF 7,650.–

The latest creation from Baume & Mercier and Caroll Shelby evokes the Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupé. This titanium and steel chronograph is making a noteworthy first incursion into the Clifton collection.

Bell & Ross BR126 Renault Sport 40th Anniversary : CHF 3,900.–

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of its partner Renault Sport’s first appearance in the world of Formula 1 motor racing, Bell & Ross has developed a model inspired by the 1977 single-seater R.S. 01, a steel chronograph with a resolutely vintage style.

Bulgari Octo Maserati GranSport : CHF 11,900.–

The Octo Maserati 2017 models display jumping hours and retrograde minutes with all the clarity of a dashboard. For fans of the super-sporty brand with the trident emblem : a black DLC-treated GranSport model.

Singer Reimagined Singer Track 1 : CHF 42,985.–

The young watch brand named Singer Reimagined, a subsidiary of Singer Vehicle Design, chose the Monterey Car Week 2017 for the first presentation in the United States of its revolutionary Track 1 chronograph.

Bulgari Octo Maserati GranLusso : CHF 28,900.–

Parternsing Maserati since 2012, Bulgari has unveiled the latest fruits of their cooperation at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show. In this GranLusso version, the Octo Maserati appears clothed in pink gold.

Cars and watches have a lot in common, so it’s not much wonder that tie-ins between the two worlds are so common. Watchmakers and automakers have collaborated for quite some time now. Rolex is active in Formula 1, Chopard has its own connections with all the famous Mille Miglia, and the partnership between Hublot and Ferrari is now into its sixth season without any signs of slowing down – to name a few. The union we’re considering now is involving Bulgari and Maserati, and also the opinion in question is the very sublime Bulgari Octo Maserati Chronograph. As far as automotive-themed watches go, it’s easily one of those better-executed and more considered ones. Let’s have a closer look at it now.Before we dive to the Bulgari Octo Maserati Chronograph, it’s important that you be aware of the watch on which it’s based, and that’s the Octo Velocissimo Chronograph (reviewed here). Bulgari’s (and unique designer of the Octo watch Gerald Genta’s) obsession with an octagon ought to be widely known by now, and its Octo collection has increased over the past couple of years to include numerous ground-breaking and record-breaking models like the Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater (hands) and Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Skeleton (hands). The Octo collection, and by extension, the Octo Velocissimo Chronograph possess a wonderfully angular case design. It is a drama on the octagon and it’s actually an impressively intricate case, featuring numerous surfaces using different treatments. According to Bulgari, the Octo case comprises over 100 surfaces, making it far more intricate than your typical high-end luxury Swiss watch case.Velocissimo is Italian for “quickly,” and it gets its name from the motion inside. But despite the complicated Octo case and exotic 5Hz movement inside, the Bulgari Octo Velocissimo Chronograph has ever felt a little cold and sterile to me. The case can be found in numerous substances, but the dial is only available in black, or in the case of this rose gold model, chocolate brown. I’d describe the Bulgari Octo Velocissimo Chronograph as tasteful, but certainly not exciting, at least not as exciting as it could have been with some tweaks.

Eberhard & Co. Chrono 4 130 : CHF 5,340.–

Timekeeper and Official Partner of the Gran Premio Nuvolari, Eberhard & Co. seized the opportunity of the opening cocktail to present its latest creations, notably including the Chrono4 130 introduced to mark its 130th anniversary.